Word-Internal Pronouns and Reflexives

Abstract

Abstract. Complex reflexives such as himself and the like are D compounds, contrary to self-N compounds which are N compounds. The difference between pronouns and reflexives with respect to their distribution in compounds is expressed configurationally in terms of the difference between heads and adjuncts. The pronoun is the head, its F-features percolate in its projection chain. The reflexive is the adjunct entering in an identification relation with the head and licensing argument-linking within its domain as it projects an inalienable possession configuration. On the other hand, pronouns do not differ from reflexives with respect to their interpretability in X° expressions. In both cases only an attributive interpretation is available for these categories, as it is the case more generally for categories in morphological expressions.